State profile · Near median Poor share

Kentucky bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Kentucky.

14,548
Public bridges
26.6%
Good condition
7.4%
Poor condition

Kentucky holds 14,548 public highway bridges (#18 of 52 by inventory) with a 7.37% Poor share (#19 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 7.4% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 34 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

14,548

Public highway bridges in Kentucky

Good Condition

26.6%

3,866 bridges rated 7-9

-23.4pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

7.4%

1,072 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-0.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Kentucky vs national bridge condition

Kentucky - Good condition share 26.6%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Kentucky - Poor-condition share 24.6%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Kentucky in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Kentucky has 14,548 bridges and a 7.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Kentucky has 14,548 bridges and a 7.4% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Kentucky vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

14,548 18th of 54 higher than 36 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Kentucky

The highlighted point is Kentucky: 14,548 bridges and 7.37% in Poor condition, rank #34 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Kentucky on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • North Carolina: 19,210 bridges · 6.76% Poor
  • Montana: 5,224 bridges · 6.81% Poor
  • Kentucky: 14,548 bridges · 7.37% Poor
  • New Hampshire: 2,542 bridges · 7.51% Poor
  • Oklahoma: 22,917 bridges · 7.70% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Kentucky

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 14,548 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Kentucky’s inventory

State agency holds 62.6% of the 14,548 public highway bridges filed under Kentucky in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Kentucky’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 13.8% of the 14,548 bridges with a recorded original year in Kentucky. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Kentucky26.6%66.1%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Kentucky (FHWA NBI)

Counties (120)

Adair 143 Allen 88 Anderson 84 Ballard 85 Barren 147 Bath 89 Bell 205 Boone 138 Bourbon 112 Boyd 89 Boyle 89 Bracken 49 Breathitt 124 Breckinridge 91 Bullitt 99 Butler 98 Caldwell 116 Calloway 210 Campbell 130 Carlisle 74 Carroll 68 Carter 189 Casey 143 Christian 300 Clark 117 Clay 160 Clinton 41 Crittenden 89 Cumberland 93 Daviess 282 Edmonson 39 Elliott 53 Estill 56 Fayette 200 Fleming 117 Floyd 161 Franklin 117 Fulton 95 Gallatin 55 Garrard 67 Grant 79 Graves 380 Grayson 119 Green 57 Greenup 161 Hancock 70 Hardin 223 Harlan 252 Harrison 153 Hart 57 Henderson 184 Henry 94 Hickman 123 Hopkins 251 Jackson 51 Jefferson 662 Jessamine 58 Johnson 99 Kenton 142 Knott 134 Knox 127 Larue 54 Laurel 131 Lawrence 103 Lee 42 Leslie 112 Letcher 179 Lewis 149 Lincoln 136 Livingston 104 Logan 135 Lyon 78 Madison 154 Magoffin 107 Marion 149 Marshall 208 Martin 70 Mason 97 McCracken 201 McCreary 39 McLean 75 Meade 24 Menifee 49 Mercer 75 Metcalfe 78 Monroe 70 Montgomery 74 Morgan 114 Muhlenberg 152 Nelson 151 Nicholas 82 Ohio 227 Oldham 66 Owen 54 Owsley 55 Pendleton 94 Perry 176 Pike 331 Powell 110 Pulaski 182 Robertson 24 Rockcastle 87 Rowan 130 Russell 46 Scott 183 Shelby 137 Simpson 50 Spencer 58 Taylor 92 Todd 80 Trigg 109 Trimble 44 Union 127 Warren 106 Washington 104 Wayne 76 Webster 144 Whitley 149 Wolfe 77 Woodford 60

Kentucky vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Kentucky on the same metric.

NC

North Carolina

6.76% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,210

MT

Montana

6.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,224
Selected

KY

Kentucky

7.37% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,548

NH

New Hampshire

7.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,542

OK

Oklahoma

7.70% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$22,917

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Kentucky

Six lowest-condition bridges in Kentucky, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

WIDS ROAD

Poor

Over: WHITE OAK CREEK

100 NE OF JCT CR 5156, Adair, KY

Built 1971 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 10

PETROLEUM RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE TRAMMEL CREEK

0.2 MI. E JCT US 31E, Allen, KY

Built 1975 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 164

DEERFIELD ROAD

Poor

Over: STOVALL CREEK

.7 MI W OF JCT KY 802, Ballard, KY

Built 1988 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 40

KY-3042

Poor

Over: DIX RVR-HERRINGTON LAKE

.05 MI EAST OF KY34, Boyle, KY

Built 1924 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 630

KY-1951

Poor

Over: SNAG CREEK

2.4 MI. S.E KY 1019, Bracken, KY

Built 1988 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 36

Jones Branch

Poor

Over: South Fk Quicksand Creek

100 S of KY 1098 MP 9.23, Breathitt, KY

Built 2013 Load: 0.1 t ADT: 55

All Bridges in Kentucky

KY-206

Good

Over: TRIB. OF SPRUCE PINE CRK

.1 MI OF CASEY CO. LINE, Adair, KY

Built 2000 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 791

US-25

Good

Over: NEW CIRCLE RD

Over Ky 4 - New Circle rd, Fayette, KY

Built 2020 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 24,576

TAYLOR LN

Good

Over: CREEK

100' SE OF KY 221, Harlan, KY

Built 2001 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 20

I-65 NB RAMP

Good

Over: HANCOCK ST

0.38 MI S OF LINCOLN BR, Jefferson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 10,500

KY 1268

Good

Over: Hickman Creek

2.7 MI S JCT US 27, Jessamine, KY

Built 2021 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 278

GARVEY AVENUE

Good

Over: BULLOCK PEN CREEK

GARVEY RD OVER BULLOCK CK, Kenton, KY

Built 2002 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 2,011

KY-3

Good

Over: Rockcastle Creek

Clifford, Lawrence, KY

Built 1984 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 508

Blackberry Bridge

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK

.01 MI - JCT KY 3, Martin, KY

Built 1994 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 472

Swan Court

Good

Over: Troublesome Creek

100 W of Swan Ct/KY-476, Perry, KY

Built 2022 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 92

CEDAR CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

.5 MI W OF JCT KY-165, Robertson, KY

Built 2016 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 51

PEDEN MILL ROAD

Good

Over: I-65

3.09 MI N OF STATE LINE, Simpson, KY

Built 2007 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 401

KY 92

Good

Over: Jellico Creek

_, Whitley, KY

Built 2020 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 2,453

LITTLE ROCK-JACKST

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

3.0 MI- N JCT KY 537, Bourbon, KY

Built 1997 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 138

KY-1073

Good

Over: NORTH FORK OF ROUGH RIVE

1.7 MI SE OF JCT KY 1401, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1963 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 347

ROBERSON SOUTH

Good

Over: BR-E.FORK CLARKS RIVER

200 NORTH JCT KY 1550, Calloway, KY

Built 2001 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 1,231

DRY FORK CREEK RD

Good

Over: DRY FORK

.7 MI N JCT KY 974, Clark, KY

Built 1994 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 49

Henson Rd. CR1079

Good

Over: Coal Branch

775' S of KY-827, Greenup, KY

Built 2015 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 5

MILL CRK RD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

1.7 MI.N. JCT KY 221, Bell, KY

Built 1992 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 60

WOODCREEK DR

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK CREEK

.2 MI SW JCT KY 237, Boone, KY

Built 1990 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 1,332

KY-992

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK HONEY LOCUST

2.7 Mi SE of KY 144, Breckinridge, KY

Built 1997 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 138

INDUSTRIAL PARKWAY

Good

Over: PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD

5.31 MI S OF JCT US23, Greenup, KY

Built 2003 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 5,110

HOODS RUN RD

Good

Over: HOODS RUN CREEK

.7 MI W JCT KY 2, Greenup, KY

Built 1994 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 105

KY-645 RAMP KY-40

Good

Over: COLDWATER FORK

Ramp near JCT KY 40, Martin, KY

Built 2006 Load: 34.2 t ADT: 4,537

BROOKING ROAD

Good

Over: BRANCH HUMPHREY CREEK

1.3 MI W.JCT KY 473, Ballard, KY

Built 1997 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 222

CR1451

Good

Over: CUMB RIV CSX R/R

100 EAST OF US119, Bell, KY

Built 2004 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 200

CR 1306 GREENBRIER

Good

Over: GOODIN BRANCH

.10 MI WEST OF KY 955, Carter, KY

Built 1997 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 132

CALBERT ROAD

Good

Over: BR - CYPRESS CREEK

.1 MI S. JCT CR 5035, Hickman, KY

Built 1994 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 52

MAXINE ROAD

Good

Over: BACON CREEK

1.3 MI West of US 31E, Larue, KY

Built 1993 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 75

KY 1414

Good

Over: CLEAR RUN

1.3 MI EAST I 165 OP, Ohio, KY

Built 2022 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 425

KY-22

Good

Over: LICKING RIVER

1.1 MI EAST JCT US-27, Pendleton, KY

Built 2012 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 2,075

Halls Old Home Pl

Good

Over: Big Creek

175 FT S OF KY 80 MP4.9, Perry, KY

Built 2021 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 63

Tunnel Mill Road

Good

Over: Troublesome Creek

0.01 M S of JCT KY-476, Perry, KY

Built 2022 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 50

US-23 R to KY-1426

Good

Over: US-23

Ramp B To Downtown Pville, Pike, KY

Built 1987 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 26,831

Gin Fork

Good

Over: Left Fork Brushy Fork

0.15 MI S of JCT KY 881, Pike, KY

Built 2023 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 80

KY 53

Good

Over: NS RAILROAD

0.3 MI S OF US 60, Shelby, KY

Built 2023 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 15,113

KY-1338

Good

Over: TRADEWATER RIVER

3.0 MI.N JCT KY 109, Christian, KY

Built 1998 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 95

CR-1031

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK-LITTLE RIVER

.1 MI. W. CR 5032, Christian, KY

Built 1991 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 46

STATE MAINTAINED R

Good

Over: KY 116

SBL AT TENNESSEE STATE LN, Fulton, KY

Built 1968 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 5,719

KY-137

Good

Over: LONG BRANCH

1.9 M N OF JCT KY 1436, Livingston, KY

Built 1951 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 83

Siloam Rd. CR 1119

Good

Over: _Hancock Branch

_0.5 M N of jct KY337, Marion, KY

Built 2016 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 126

KY-292

Good

Over: Big Elk Creek

.05 MI W JCT KY 2031, Martin, KY

Built 1999 Load: 34.4 t ADT: 305

KY 1934 SB

Good

Over: US 31W (DIXIE HWY)

4.4 MI S OF KY 1931, Jefferson, KY

Built 1998 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 3,776

I-24

Good

Over: US 62

EBL OVR US 62 NTRCH, Lyon, KY

Built 1977 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 14,006

J E BICKETT RD

Good

Over: CHERRY CREEK

0.3 MI S. OF JCT. KY 84, Marion, KY

Built 2002 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 56

JACKSON DR

Good

Over: LITTLE BRUSHY CREEK

.1 MI SW - KY 32, Rowan, KY

Built 1992 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 1,062

KY-30

Good

Over: HUNTING CREEK

.1 MI SE OF JCT KY 1094, Breathitt, KY

Built 1932 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 204

HERMAN ROAD

Good

Over: HASKELL CREEK

.8 MI N - KY 483, Graves, KY

Built 1993 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 65

KY-15

Good

Over: CSX RAILROAD & CARR FORK

2.8 MI EAST OF KY 7 OP, Perry, KY

Built 1969 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 6,773

KY-3174 NC

Good

Over: Greasy Creek

3.4 M. East of US23 North, Pike, KY

Built 2013 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,178

KY-3174

Good

Over: Greasy Creek

3.4 M. East of US23 North, Pike, KY

Built 2013 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,178

Showing 10,201-10,250 of 14,548 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Kentucky's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Kentucky and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Kentucky Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.